On February 25th, the county examination results were released.
Shen Rui didn't go over to look at the list in person, but Changshou couldn't help it, so he followed the second housekeeper to go outside the county government office early to watch the list.
Just after morning, a lot of people gathered at the county government office. They were all the families of the candidates. Everyone was waiting for the list to come out.
The second housekeeper took Changshou and sat down at a teahouse not far from the county government office. He ordered a pot of tea and waited for the county government office to issue the list.
Although it was still early, there were already several tables of guests in the teahouse. Most of them were dressed in blue robes and hats, looking like servants, probably waiting for the county government to release the results.
Next to the table of the second housekeeper and Changshou were two Confucian scholars, one in his sixties and the other in his prime. Their clothes were a little shabby, but they were full of talk.
Changshou was looking out the window when he heard the word "Shen Rui". It turned out that these two people mentioned the "red list" of these county examinations.
The second housekeeper also heard the name of his young master and raised his ears to listen carefully to what these two scholars were saying.
The old Confucian said: "The rankings from previous years remain unchanged. This year, the county magistrate took office and presided over the county examination for the first time. Maybe he doesn't know the rules..."
The middle-aged Confucian scholar snorted coldly: "The county magistrate of Jing County is the sixth grade. It is an important place in the capital. Those who can take over as county magistrate are all people with outstanding political achievements among the parents of other counties. Haven't they ever presided over the county examination? It is nothing more than speculation.
Heart, climb the door of the rich and powerful. It is pitiful for a poor scholar, who has spent ten years studying hard in a poor family and cannot have a good family background. It is sad..."
The old Confucian said: "If the county examination fails, who dares to take action? My dear brother, this is wrong."
The middle-aged Confucian scholar became more and more annoyed as he talked: "This bull is so stupid that he has lost all his integrity and shame in order to gain power. What will happen to him? How can he be allowed to bend the law and seek personal gain in the most virtuous place in the capital?"
The old Confucian said: "Don't be upset, don't be upset, just look at the list, just look at the list."
The middle-aged Confucian scholar said: "If we have to be promoted to the 'head of the case', why should we change the red list and move the son of Jingtang to the first place? Moving from third to first, he will show his willingness every day, but it is just hiding his ears and stealing the bell."
Upon hearing this, the faces of the second housekeeper and Changshou changed.
The name "Shen Rui" has been on the top of the "Red List" since February 21. It is not uncommon for people to find out his origin. But this "desire to impose a crime" is disgusting.
The Shen family is a scholarly and distinguished family, which has been passed down for more than a hundred years. Generations of generations have had Jinshi, and now even the number one scholar has been awarded. The second brother of the Shen family, the eldest master, the second master is a Jinshi, and the third master and the late eldest brother are both Jinshi.
If a mere boy takes an exam, will he go to the camp to cheat?
Changshou was very angry. He served Shen Rui for five years and watched Shen Rui study diligently. It can be said that in the past five years, Shen Rui never stopped reading, never put his hands down, and never changed his mind.
After studying the Four Books and Five Classics with Wang Shouren, and writing Shiwen with Shen Li, wouldn't the "head of the case" in the county examination be easily captured?
The second housekeeper was frightened. The capital was a place where waves could rise three feet even if there was no wind. His master was sitting in the minister's seat, and many pairs of eyes were staring at him.
Even if you know that these rumors are false, others don't think so.
The fraud case brought out by Chunwei last time, which killed a minister of the Ministry of Rites and crippled an academic administration, was only caused by the "rumor reports" of officials.
The crowd in front of the Yamen became noisy. When the second housekeeper saw this, he didn't think much and hurriedly took out a handful of money to pay for the tea and took Changshou to see the list.
Several government officials came out carrying a sign with a big red list posted on it.
The county examination list is published according to the results, but the arrangement is not from right to left or top to bottom as usual, but in a unique way, called "round list".
According to the pattern of a wheel, every fifty people form a circle, and finally those with less than fifty people also form a circle. Even if the names of the people are written loosely, they are also made in a circle pattern.
There are more than 200 people taking the county exam this year, and there are five wheels on the list, one at the top and four at the bottom.
The center of the first circle is at the top of the red list, and it says the name of the first place winner in this year's county examination, which is also the "head of the case".
When he saw the word "Shen Rui", the second housekeeper took a breath of air and called Changshou to rush back.
Changshou was also dumbfounded.
If you hadn't heard the sour words of "righteous indignation" just now, this would have been an unexpected surprise.
Having topped the "red list" twice in a row, it would be a lie to say that he was not looking forward to Shen Rui being the "head of the case", but thinking about the "rumors" just now, it would not be easy to get the limelight, so he was worried...
Shen Rui had not taken a break since he finished his exam on February 23rd, so he picked up his homework again.
The county examination is only the first step, and the government examination will be in April.
Although if you get the first prize in the county examination by luck, you will not be dismissed from the prefectural examination, but if you rank too low, it will not look good in terms of face; if you cannot get the first case in the county examination, then you will need to work harder in the prefecture examination.
The third master knew this and was very sad. He said to his wife: "How can I fail to achieve anything in the imperial examination with such determination and perseverance? If I had had such perseverance in my studies, I would not have wasted these years."
The third wife thought of Shen Jue and said: "If Brother Rui passes the exam this year, he will have to take the provincial examination next year. Brother Jue and Brother Rui were in the same year and month. I heard from the master that their homework was similar, but now they are going to be..."
Rui Ge is left behind..."
When the third master heard his wife mention the next provincial examination, he thought of himself, clenched his fists and said, "It's not just Brother Jue who was left behind...Brother Jue started his career late, while others studied hard for ten years before seeking fame. Brother Rui has only been studying for four and a half years..."
After three years, I will probably do a good job in the article. By then, both my uncle and my nephew will be dead. I, as an uncle, must not be left behind by my nephew..."
Although it seems now that Shen Rui's articles are far inferior to those of the Third Master, he studies so diligently and diligently, and no one knows what will happen in three years.
The third master was not only pleased that there was a successor to the Shen family, but also felt a sense of urgency...
The county government's "good news" team had not yet arrived, and the second housekeeper and Changshou came back in a hurry.
The eldest master was not at home, and the third master did not dare to disturb him. The second housekeeper went directly to the second gate to ask for an audience with the mistress. Changshou also went to Jiuruyuan to send a message to Shen Rui.
Because Shen Rui was getting older and began to socialize with outsiders, in addition to having an inner study room in Jiuru Courtyard, Mrs. Xu arranged an outer study room for Shen Rui in the front yard at the beginning of this spring.
If you usually study there, you can use it as a place to entertain guests.
However, Shen Rui usually wakes up early and stays late when studying, mostly using the inner study room.
Seeing the pain on Changshou's face, Shen Rui's heart was agitated and bad thoughts came to his mind, and he asked directly: "Is he not on the list?"
Changshou hurriedly shook his head and said: "Second brother is the head of the crime."
Shen Rui frowned and said, "Then why do you worry? But what's wrong with it?"
The matter was so important that Changshou did not dare to hide it. He told the "rumors" he heard in the teahouse and mentioned the matter of the second housekeeper asking to see his wife.
Shen Rui was very happy when he heard this.
Fortunately, he had not asked anyone about the county magistrate before, otherwise this would have been the opposite in the eyes of others.
Nowadays, although "the trees are more beautiful than the trees", what is more important is that they are "reasonable and confident".
He stood up and left Jiuruju and headed to the main courtyard. Along the way, he calculated the gains and losses in his mind.
The dust of "Beijing-Cha" has long been settled, and now a delicate balance has been formed in the officialdom of the capital.
Even if there is an imperial censor who wants to impeach the great master over this matter, the county examination is just a county examination. If there are many scholars from all over the world in the spring of Wei, the list is likely to be controversial; in the county examination, there are only three people who can do it in a row.
All the ordinary teenagers who fill in the blanks will participate, which shows that the level is low.
Shen Rui's articles are all written with care, and he does not feel guilty about this case.
The eldest master is sitting under the title of minister, and he is not a disciple of Sange Lao. If it had been any other year, it is impossible to say that someone would have taken advantage of the situation and wanted to get rid of the eldest master.
However, this year is the year of spring, and scholars are gathering in the capital. After the farce of the "Imperial Examination Fraud Case" three years ago, neither inside nor outside the imperial court will want anything bad to come out of the scientific examination. Otherwise, others will follow what they say, and the scholars will follow suit.
There's going to be trouble again.
Thinking of this, Shen Rui felt at ease.
Otherwise, if he was lucky enough to get the first trial case in a county, causing the Shen family to get into trouble, then it would be more harm than good.
The second housekeeper had already arrived at the upper room and told Mrs. Xu about Shen Ruizhong's "case-in-chief" test and the slanderous remarks made by the poor Confucian scholar against the county magistrate and the Shen family.
Although Mrs. Xu frowned when she heard this, she was not in a hurry. She only said: "Second brother, it's a good thing to strive for success... Don't be flustered. If you don't get jealous, you are a mediocre person. It's just a few rotten scholars' slanderous words, which will embarrass you."
If you can’t get to the Shen family…”
The eldest master of the Shen family is a Beijing official and has experienced ups and downs over the years. Seeing Xu's calm demeanor, the second housekeeper felt at ease.
Xu said: "The person bringing the good news is probably coming soon, and he is going to reward you with money..." At this point, he paused and said, "The in-laws and the palace are sending people to bring the good news..."
The second housekeeper responded and bumped into Shen Rui in the yard.
"Congratulations, second brother," the second housekeeper bowed.
Shen Rui glanced at the second housekeeper and said with a smile: "Uncle An has been tired these days. I will treat Uncle An to a drink someday..."
The second housekeeper kept saying "I don't dare" and went down to collect the reward money.
A maid had already seen Shen Rui and passed a message inside while lifting the curtain.
Seeing Shen Rui come in, Mrs. Xu hurriedly called him forward and said with a smile: "I didn't expect to get the title of 'head of the case'. It's really a good start. Good luck to our second brother."
Shen Rui hesitated for a moment and said, "Mom, will this cause trouble to my father?"
Mrs. Xu smiled and reassured her: "Although it is a common practice to select the sons of farmers and students in the county examination, there is no law that stipulates that the sons of officials cannot do so." The officialdom of the capital is not peaceful, but you still have to believe me.
Can do Jingtang
How could a few scholars still be able to take down the position on unfounded charges? In addition, this is the year of spring, and impeachment on matters such as corruption and corruption is so sensitive that even if a small fish or shrimp comes out, it will not be able to do it.
Big noise."
These words were thought together with Shen Rui.
Although Mrs. Xu doesn't like to show off her temper, she feels a little unhappy when she thinks that someone is targeting the Shen family for this matter.
She was not worried about her husband, but worried about Shen Rui.
If this matter becomes a big issue, it will harm Shen Rui's reputation regardless of whether he is innocent or not.
Shen Rui was a child who was concentrating on taking exams, but was criticized for his excellent results. She couldn't tell that she was feeling uneasy, so she didn't want to make him more angry.
Mrs. Xu smiled and ordered her maid: "Go and send a message to the second housekeeper to prepare a basket of firecrackers. When the person bringing the good news arrives, the family will also help with the firecrackers..."